The New York Mets have officially set a date for the long-awaited return of the team’s popular black alternate jerseys.
The Mets on Thursday formally announced on social media that the black jerseys will be worn in a game against the Cincinnati Reds on July 30 at Citi Field.
A highly stylized video shared on Twitter earlier Thursday featuring the message “Back in Black” is sure to get Mets fans excited over the news as well.
New Mets owner Steve Cohen revealed in March that the Mets will roll out black alternate jerseys for “a few games” during the 2021 MLB season. Mets first baseman and reigning Home Run Derby champ Pete Alonso warmly welcomed the big news at the time, saying the black jerseys will “bring a lot of swagger and a lot of moxie.”
Alonso added during spring training that the announcement regarding the return of the classic and fan-favorite alternates left the clubhouse “fired up.”
The black alternates were in the Mets’ jersey rotation from 1998-2012, a run that included the team’s appearance in the 2000 World Series, but the team has gone away from the tradition for years now.
To help celebrate the return of the iconic jerseys, the Mets will give away a black Francisco Lindor T-shirt to the first 12,000 fans in attendance at Citi Field on July 30, according to the team’s official site.
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